Rail-bond.



No. 698,250. Patented Apr. 22, I902.

G. B. BLANCHARD'.

RAIL BOND.

'Application filed Jan 13, 1902.) (N6 Model.)

m w nunnumnmm 5? Miihemiea; fiz mi fl d i I UNITED STATES I ATENT FFICE.

GEORGE B. BLANOHARD, OF TACOMA, IVASHINGTON.

RAlL-BON D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,250, dated April22, 1902.

Application filed January 13, 1902. Serial No. 89,434. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BLANCHARD, of Tacoma, county of Pierce,State of Washington, have invented an Improvement in Rail-Bonds, ofwhich the following descrip tion, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention relates to rail-bonds, and is intended as an improvementupon the railbond shown and described in United States Patent No.658,759, dated October 2, 1900, granted to me. In said patent alaminated strip comprising a pair of flat feet and an extensibleintermediate portion is shown composed of a single strip of sheet-copperor other metal folded upon itself and having the layers composing theflat feet soldered together and the layers composing the intermediateportion unattached, and the several layers composing the fiat feetadditionally secured together byintegral portions of the lowermostlayer. A mass of solder was secured to the bottom of each flat foot,which served as a means of attaching the bond to the rails.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of saidrail-bond in several particulars, whereby it may be more easily andcheaply made, the layers composing its flat feet more efiectivelysecured together, and the bond better adapted to be readily applied tothe rails.

In accordance with this invention the laminated strip is composed ofseveral like strips of sheet-copper or other metal, one of which isconsiderably longer than the others, and the ends of all of said stripsare dipped in melted solder, and thereby completely coated, and saidstrips are then superimposed, with the longer strip on the outside, andthe opposite ends of said strips are turned up over and upon theassembled end portions of the other strips to thereby form the flatfeet, and the several layers composing said fiat feet are then securedtogether by heating, while they are firmly held by a suitable clamp orunder pressure. A ribbon of solder is then 1 attached to the bottom ortop of each fiat foot, and in practice this ribbon of solder is attachedat one end only, so thatit may be bent outward or away from the foot towhich ribbons of solder may be otherwise attached to the flat feet.

Figure 1 shows in plan View a rail-bond embodying this invention. Fig. 2shows in side elevation a rail-bond embodying this inven-- tion, theribbon of solderwhich is attached to the bottom of one of theflat feetbeing represented by dotted lines'as bent outward for the purpose ofpermitting a thorough introduction of the soldering fluid when applyingthe bond to the rails. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of aportion of the rail-bond ona large scale. Fig. 4 shows in side elevationa modified form of rail-bond embodying this invention.

a represents the several strips of sheet-cop per or other metal, whichmay be of any suitable length and Width and formed with an archedintermediate portion and flat end portions, although so far as myinvention is concerned the intermediate portion may be of any desireddesign to provide for suitable ex tensibility. Any numberof; strips maybe employed. The flat end-portions of all the strips are dipped inmelted solder, and thereby coated exteriorly up to the junction there--of with the intermediate portion. eral strips are then superimposed orassembled together. One of the outside stripsis made longer than theother strips, and in the manufacture of the bond the end portions of Thesevsaid longer strip are turned up over and upon the superimposed endportionsof all the other strips. The end portions of the longer stripare likewise dipped in melted solder up to the junction of theintermediate portion, so that said end portions will be completelycoated exteriorly with solder from end to end. The end portions of thelonger strip having been turned up over and upon the other superimposedend portions, a pair of flat feetwill be produced, and all the layerscomposing said fiat feet are then secured together by heating them whilethey are firmly held by any suitable clamp or under pressure. Inpractice I find that the layers composing the flat feet will be moreeffectively secured together and a better electrical connection therebyinsured by making the several layers independent and separately dippingthem in melted solder and thereafter securing them together. Instead ofapplying to the bottoms of the flat feet a mass of solder, as in mypatent aforesaid, I herein attach a ribbon of solder, asin practice itis very difficult to apply a mass of solder and properly secure the sameto the bottoms of the fiat feet Without unsoldering, and thereby more orless separating, the layers composing said flat feet. The ribbons ofsolder are represented at b and are herein shown as attached to thebottoms of the fiat feet at one end only. This is important for thereason that it enables them to be bent outward or away from the flatfeet to provide for the thorough introduction of the soldering fluidwhen applying the bond to the rails; yet in some instances I mayotherwise attach said ribbons of solder to the flat feet.

In Fig. 2 the lowermost strip is the longer one, and the ribbons ofsolder are attached to the bottoms of the fiat feet; but in Fig. 3 amodification of my invention is illustrated, wherein the uppermoststripis longer and the ribbons of solder are attached to the tops of theflat feet, in either case the longer strip being the outside strip.

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rail-bond consisting of a laminated strip formed to present a pairof flat feet and an extensible intermediate portion, and composed of anumber of superimposed independent strips, the end portions of all ofwhich are completely coated With. solder, one of the outside stripsbeing made longer than the other strips havingits end portions turned upover and upon the other end portions, and a ribbon of solder attached toone side of each flat foot, substantially as described.

2. A rail-bond consisting of a laminated strip formed to present a pairof flat feet and an extensible intermediate portion and a ribbon ofsolder attached at one end to one side of each flat foot, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. BLANCHARD.

\Vitnesses:

B. J NOYES, M. E. BILL.

